Charcoal briquet having a grooved surface

ABSTRACT

A generally pillow-shaped charcoal briquet having a convex upper surface and a convex lower surface, wherein at least one of these surfaces contain an enhanced surface feature comprising one or more grooves. When two or more grooves are located on one or both convex surfaces, the grooves are generally parallel to each other and to two opposing sides of the briquet, and generally perpendicular to two opposing sides of the briquet. The briquets have improved ignition characteristics and enhanced burn phase properties.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of pending U.S. application Ser. No. 12/955,736 filed Nov. 29, 2010, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/270,943 filed Nov. 9, 2005, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 29/208,910 filed Jul. 7, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. D,517,005 issued Mar. 14, 2006, which are all incorporated herein in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of charcoal briquets and other solid fuel compositions. More particularly, the present invention relates to pillow-shaped charcoal briquets having improved surface features that aid in improved random stacking, lighting and burn phase characteristics.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is great consumer interest in using charcoal for outdoor cooking in which meals can be prepared and served quickly for individual or large group consumption. Consumers desire cooking and grilling with charcoal briquets that are easily stackable to form the traditional starter pile, easily ignitable, maintain a uniform and efficient combustion that ignites the individual briquets in the starter pile, and have a sufficiently long burn period. Similarly, consumers desire to handle dirty charcoal as little as possible when forming traditional starter piles and the like.

Charcoal briquettes are often configured in a generally pillow-shape. This configuration provides for both reasonable ease of manufacturing by the supplier, and handling by the consumer. Pillow-shaped briquets are typically used for cooking on the grill or the like by using a multiplicity of briquets in a mounded or conical configuration or stack usually by pouring a multiplicity of briquets from a bag onto a grill or the like. Then lighter fluid is often added, and followed by igniting the briquets with an ignition source.

An “ignition phase” follows, as burning proceeds from the surface of the briquet, and a gray ash is formed on a significant portion of the briquet until a majority of the exposed surfaces have ignited, and burning has progressed inwardly toward the intended area of the briquets. Thus, completion of the ignition phase of burning is identified by the formation of visible ash on the briquet.

At this point, the briquets are spread out under the grill or the like, and they continue to burn with intense heat suitable for cooking and grilling throughout a “burn phase”. For maximum performance of the briquets, it is desirable that the ignition phase be limited in time so that the briquets may be used for cooking or grilling without undue delay, such that the duration of the burn phase is optimized and extended to provide adequate cooking or grilling time as desired by the consumer intended use.

There has been some previous work in the ornamental and geometrical configuration of charcoal briquets. For example, U.S. Des. 389,453 to Mitchell et al. describes a charcoal briquet having a groove generally in the shape of the letter “K”, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,366 to Peters describes charcoal having a briquet, or other geometric configuration, purportedly to achieve desired lighting and burn characteristics. In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,446 to Fujino describes charcoal having a plurality of air passing portions or grooves in its body purportedly to supply combustion air inside the charcoal body while burning.

However, previously known ornamental and geometrically configured charcoal briquets fail to address enhancing the surface of pillow-shaped briquets to improve the random, non-mating stacking ability properties, as well as to improve ignition and burn phase characteristics. Particularly charcoal briquets used for home grilling and cooking, wherein the consumer desires charcoal briquets that require less handling, and that can be readily ignited to provide maximum heat initially, followed by an improved burn phase.

Previously known charcoal briquets intended for rapid ignition and delivery of intense heat have used combinations of various configurations and compositions. However, very rapid delivery of intense heat does not provide an acceptable combustion response for cooking or grilling purposes. Previous teachings have failed to configure and texture the surface of a pillow-shaped charcoal briquet to improve random stacking ability of the briquet, as well as enhance the ignition and burn phase properties of the briquet as preferred by consumers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, an improved charcoal briquet having a generally pillow-shaped configuration having an upper surface, a lower surface, a periphery, and enhanced surface features preferably comprising one or more grooves, channels, trenches or the like, on one or both surfaces. The improved charcoal briquets of the present invention have improved random stacking ability, and enhanced ignition and burn phase properties, thereby overcoming previously known difficulties.

More specifically, and in accordance with the present invention, an improved pillow-shaped charcoal briquet having a generally convex upper surface, a generally convex lower surface, and a periphery wherein at least one of the upper or lower surfaces has located thereon enhanced surface textured features in the form of at least one groove, channel, trench or the like. When two or more grooves are present on one or both surfaces, the grooves are preferably parallel to each other, parallel to two opposing sides of the briquet, and perpendicular to two other opposing sides of the briquet. The presence of one or more grooves on or both surfaces increases the surface area to volume ratio thereby enabling more of the briquet to be exposed to oxygen.

These and other objects and advantages are achieved by the present invention which comprises a generally pillow-shaped charcoal briquet having an improved surface configuration. Pillow-shaped charcoal briquets having this unique surface configuration have enhanced ignition properties and burn phase characteristics.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pillow-shaped charcoal briquet embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a right side elevational view of the briquet of FIG. 1, right and left side elevations being the same;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the briquet of FIG. 1, front and back elevations being the same;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the briquet of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a charcoal briquet showing a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a right side elevational view of the briquet of FIG. 5, right and left side elevations being the same;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the briquet of FIG. 5, front and back elevations being the same;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the briquet of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a charcoal briquet showing a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a right side elevational view of the briquet of FIG. 9, right and left side elevations being the same;

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of the briquet of FIG. 9, front and back elevations being the same;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the briquet of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a front elevational view of a charcoal briquet similar to the briquet of FIG. 3, but having one groove on both the upper and lower surfaces, front and back elevations being the same;

FIG. 14 is a front elevational view of a charcoal briquet similar to the briquet of FIG. 7, but having two grooves on the upper and lower surfaces, front and back elevations being the same;

FIG. 15 is a front elevational view of a charcoal briquet similar to the briquet of FIG. 11, but having three grooves on the upper and lower surfaces, front and back elevations being the same;

FIG. 16 is a front elevational view of a charcoal briquet similar to the briquet of FIG. 3, but having one groove on the upper and two grooves on the lower surface, front and back elevations being the same;

FIG. 17 is a front elevational view of a charcoal briquet similar to the briquet of FIG. 3, but having one groove on the upper and three grooves on the lower surface, front and back elevations being the same; and

FIG. 18 is a front elevational view of a charcoal briquet similar to the briquet of FIG. 7, but having two grooves on the upper and three grooves on the lower surface, front and back elevations being the same.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The examples set out herein illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, in one form, and such examples are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1-18 depict a grooved pillow-shaped charcoal briquet of the present invention. Previous charcoal briquets used by consumers have typically assumed a generally pillow-shape configuration. However, previous charcoal briquets were not designed as the charcoal briquets provided herein having enhanced grooved surface features that provide consumers with a charcoal briquet having enhanced lighting and burn phase characteristics.

FIGS. 1-4 and 13 depict a grooved pillow-shaped briquet 30 having a generally convex upper surface 38, a generally convex lower surface 36, a generally elliptical periphery 37 when viewed from the side, and a generally rectangular periphery 35 when viewed from above or below. FIG. 3 depicts briquet 30 wherein one of these surfaces, upper surface 38, contains thereon one groove 32. FIG. 13 depicts a front elevational view of briquet 39 wherein both of the upper 38 and lower surfaces 36 each contain thereon one groove 32.

FIG. 1 depicts a top plan view of charcoal briquet 30 having four sides A, B, C and D, connected by four generally rounded corners 34. Groove 32 runs generally parallel to side B (right side) and side D (left side), and generally perpendicular to side A (back) and side C (front). Groove 32 thereby connects front C and back A of briquet 30 via this channel or trench-like surface feature that traverses the upper convex surface 38, and increases the surface area to volume ratio of the briquet enabling more of the briquet to be exposed to oxygen.

FIGS. 5-8 and 14 depict a grooved pillow-shaped briquet 40 having a generally convex upper surface 48, a generally convex lower surface 46, a generally elliptical periphery 47 when viewed from the side, and a generally rectangular periphery 45 when viewed from above or below. FIG. 7 depicts briquet 40 wherein one of these surfaces, upper surface 48, contains thereon two grooves 42. FIG. 14 depicts a front elevational view of briquet 49 wherein both of the upper 48 and lower surfaces 46 each contain thereon two grooves 42.

FIG. 8 depicts a top plan view of charcoal briquet 40 having four sides A, B, C and D, connected by four generally rounded corners 44. Grooves 42 run generally parallel to side B (right side) and side D (left side), and generally perpendicular to side A (back) and side C (front). Grooves 42 thereby connect front C and the back A of briquet 40 via this channel or trench-like surface feature that traverses the upper convex surface 48, and increases the surface area to volume ratio of the briquet enabling more of the briquet to be exposed to oxygen.

FIGS. 9-12 and 15 depict a grooved pillow-shaped briquet 50 having a generally convex upper surface 58, a generally convex lower surface 56, a generally elliptical periphery 57 when viewed from the side, and a generally rectangular periphery 55 when viewed from above or below. FIG. 11 depicts briquet 50 wherein one of these surfaces, upper surface 58, contains thereon three grooves 52. FIG. 15 depicts a front elevational view of briquet 59 wherein both the upper 58 and lower surfaces 56 each contain thereon three grooves 52.

FIG. 12 depicts a top plan view charcoal briquet 50 having four sides A, B, C and D, connected by four generally rounded corners 54. Grooves 52 run generally parallel to side B (right side) and side D (left side), and generally perpendicular to sides A (back) and side C (front). Grooves 52 thereby connect front C and back A of briquet 50 via this channel or trench-like surface feature that traverses the upper convex surface 58, and increases the surface area to volume ratio of the briquet enabling more of the briquet to be exposed to oxygen.

FIG. 16 depicts a front elevational view of a grooved pillow-shaped briquet 60 having a generally convex upper surface 68, a generally convex lower surface 66, and a generally elliptical periphery 67 when viewed from the side. Briquet 60 includes upper surface 68 containing thereon one groove 62, and lower surface 66 containing thereon two grooves 62. Briquet 60, like briquets 30, 40 and 50, has a generally rectangular periphery when viewed from above or below, and four sides connected by four generally rounded corners (not shown). Grooves 62 run generally parallel to the right and left sides of the briquet, and generally perpendicular to the back and front of the briquet (not shown).

FIG. 17 depicts a front elevational view of a grooved pillow-shaped briquet 70 having a generally convex upper surface 78, a generally convex lower surface 76, and a generally elliptical periphery 77 when viewed from the side. Briquet 70 includes upper surface 78 containing thereon one groove 72, and lower surface 76 containing thereon three grooves 72. Briquet 70, like briquets 30, 40 and 50, has a generally rectangular periphery when viewed from above or below, and four sides connected by four generally rounded corners (not shown). Grooves 72 run generally parallel to the right and left sides of the briquet, and generally perpendicular to the back and front of the briquet (not shown).

It should be understood that the present invention as depicted in FIGS. 1-18 preferably describes and discloses pillow-shaped briquets with one, or two or three parallel grooves on one or both opposite convex surfaces of the briquet. It should be understood that the present invention can be considered to relate to briquets having a plurality of grooves on the surface thereof. However, it should be realized that the greater the number of grooves, the shallower the individual groove would become. The depth of the groove is defined by the width-to-depth proportion.

Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the present invention provides a means of providing charcoal briquets having textured and grooved surface features that result in consumer desired improved random, no-mating stacking ability, and improved ignition and burn phase characteristic for use in grilling, cooking or the like. However, it will be appreciated that the present invention is useful for designing a surface configuration of briquets to achieve the specific qualities and properties as disclosed herein.

This invention has been described herein in considerable detail to provide those skilled in the art with information relevant to apply the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as are required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by different equipment, materials and devices, and that various modifications, both as to the equipment and operating procedures, can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself. 

We claim:
 1. A pillow-shaped charcoal briquet having a total surface area measurable in square inches and a total volume measureable in cubic inches, the ratio of said total surface area to said total volume comprising a value in a range between approximately 13.7 to approximately 2.16; wherein said briquet further comprises at least one groove formed in at least one surface thereof; and wherein a depth of the at least one groove varies as a function of distance from an external periphery of the briquet.
 2. The briquet of claim 1, further comprising an upper surface and a lower surface, and said at least one groove comprises a plurality of substantially parallel grooves extending across a majority of said upper surface; and wherein each of said grooves comprises a width and a depth, said width comprising a relationship to said depth
 3. The briquet of claim 2, wherein said relationship comprises said width being substantially equal to said depth over at least a portion of said groove.
 4. The briquet of claim 1, further comprising an upper surface and lower surface, and said at least one groove comprises a plurality of grooves disposed across said upper surface and lower surface, said plurality of grooves aiding combustion by providing air circulation around said briquet, and between said briquet and at least another said briquet within a pile of briquets.
 5. The briquet of claim 1, further comprising an upper surface and a lower surface, and said at least one groove comprises at least two grooves disposed on at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface, said at least two grooves extending substantially from one side of a periphery of said briquet to an opposing side of said periphery for aiding combustion by providing air circulation around and along at least a portion of said periphery and between said briquet and at least another said briquette within a pile of briquets.
 6. The briquet of claim 1, further comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, and a periphery; said periphery defining a plane whereby said upper surface and said lower surface are substantially symmetrical with respect thereto; and, said upper surface and said lower surface each having at least one groove extending respectively across said upper surface and said lower surface, said grooves having a depth thereby providing an increased surface area to volume ratio.
 7. The briquet of claim 1, wherein: said at least one groove comprises a first groove disposed on said upper surface and a second groove disposed on said lower surface respectively, at least one of said grooves extending substantially from one side of a periphery of said briquet to an opposing side of said periphery; and, said upper surface and said lower surface are configured to allow close contact between said briquet and one or more adjacent briquets while said grooves provide air circulation around at least a portion of said periphery.
 8. The briquet of claim 1, wherein said briquet has four sides and a generally square periphery.
 9. A charcoal briquet having a total surface area measurable in square inches and a total volume measurable in cubic inches, the ratio of said total surface area to said total volume comprising a value in a range between approximately 13.7 to approximately 2.16; wherein said briquet further comprises at least one means for enhancing the circulation of air around said briquet during combustion; and wherein said briquet is configured to achieving a temperature suitable for cooking quickly after ignition and holding said temperature for an adequate amount of time for cooking thereafter when disposed relative to a plurality of other similar briquets and ignited; and wherein said means for enhancing the circulation enables both (i) said achievement of quick ignition, and (ii) said adequate amount of time for cooking thereafter.
 10. The briquet of claim 9, wherein the prescribed depth is no deeper than approximately 25% of a maximum depth dimension of the briquet.
 11. The briquet of claim 9, wherein at least of a portion of the grooves are substantially symmetrical with respect to a horizontal plane passing through the center of the briquet.
 12. The briquet of claim 11, wherein the depth of the grooves varies as a function of distance from an external periphery of the briquet.
 13. The briquet of claim 12, wherein a width of each of the grooves at the convex upper surface is greater than a width of the same groove at said prescribed depth within said briquet.
 14. A pillow-shaped charcoal briquet having a convex upper surface, a convex lower surface, and a plurality of grooves extending across a majority of both said convex upper surface and said convex lower surface, said grooves configured to aid combustion by providing air circulation around said pillow-shaped briquet when said pillow-shaped briquet is at least partly surrounded by other similar briquets; wherein said briquet is configured to achieve a temperature suitable for cooking quickly after ignition and to hold said temperature for an adequate amount of time for cooking thereafter when disposed relative to said other similar briquets, and ignited; and wherein a depth of the grooves varies as a function of distance from an external periphery of the briquet.
 15. The briquet of claim 14, wherein the grooves each have a maximum prescribed depth that is no deeper than 25% of a maximum depth dimension of the briquette, yet which is sufficiently deep to provide said air circulation.
 16. The briquet of claim 14, wherein a width of at least a portion of the grooves is about as wide as said depth.
 17. The briquet of claim 14, wherein the depth comprises a prescribed depth; and wherein a width of each of the grooves at the convex upper surface is greater than a width of the same groove at said prescribed depth within said briquet.
 18. The briquet of claim 17, wherein said plurality of grooves enables both (i) said achievement of quick ignition, and (ii) said adequate amount of time for cooking thereafter.
 19. The briquet of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the grooves are substantially symmetrical with respect to a horizontal plane passing through the center of the briquet. 